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RANGE/STOVE/OVEN
and DISHWASHER MAINTENANCE
[Tips from RepairClinic.com]
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Range/stove/oven
maintenance tips:
Remove
and clean range knobs with a non-abrasive
cleaner. This will help to preserve the
stenciling on the knob. Replace any broken
or illegible knobs to make your range look
new again. Find replacement knobs for your
model range using our PartDetective.
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Most
ovens have an interior light. Oftentimes,
the bulb has been burned out for so long
you may not even realize you have one. The
light bulb is usually behind a small glass
dome near the upper left or right side of
the inside of the oven. You must remove
the glass dome, usually by sliding a wire
off of it, or rotating it counter clockwise
to replace the bulb. Find common bulbs in
our
range/stove/oven accessories section. For harder
to find bulbs, use our
PartDetective.
If your oven broiler pan is missing, or
if it has gotten so soiled you can't clean
it anymore, replace it with this high-quality,
low-priced
unit.
Clean your oven control panel. You can clean
any porcelain stovetop or glass range/oven
control panel with a non-abrasive cleanser
or glass cleaner. Watch out for some "cream
type" cleansers as they often have tiny
abrasive particles in them, which can damage
your stovetop or control panel. For safe
cleaning, we recommend
Appliance
Polish & Cleaner.
Drip pans and bowls serve multiple functions
for a range. They catch food and
spills, they help radiate heat back
at the pan for better efficiency, and they
protect you from accidentally touching internal
components. It's important never to cover
them with aluminum foil. Many electric ranges
will short out due to the aluminum making
a short circuit at the burner. And, the
foil may cover the oven vent usually found
at one of the burners. Try to clean the
drip pans with a household non-abrasive
cleanser. If they cannot be cleaned, you
can replace them with universal pans and
bowls from our
range/stove/oven accessories section. Or, use
our PartDetective
to order the original units for your model
range.
CLEANING TIP: Some model ranges are equipped
with porcelain drip pans that can be placed
inside the oven and cleaned with the oven's
self-cleaning cycle. Check your owner's
manual to see if your model has this feature.
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Dishwasher
maintenance tips:
If your dishes
aren't getting as clean as they used to,
there's probably not enough water getting
into the machine. This is usually caused
by a broken or worn out water inlet valve.
These valves, located behind the lower kick
panel, need replacing every 3-7 years, depending
on water conditions. Many do-it-yourselfers
can make this repair. It just requires a
few common hand tools, all of which we sell:
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adjustable
wrench
Phillips
head screwdriver
adjustable pliers
To find the right water inlet valve for
your dishwasher, use the PartDetective
with your model number.
Inspect and clean your dishwasher. You don't
need to clean the interior of your dishwasher
if you use it regularly. If it goes un-used
for a week or more and begins to mold or
smell bad, you can clean it using Glisten
Dishwasher Cleaner and Deodorizer.
Repair broken and rusted dishwasher racks.
If the plastic coating wears off the dish
rack tines in your dishwasher, they will
corrode and rust. The rust particles will
then get into the pump and cause much more
serious problems. Repair kits for light
blue, gray and white tines are available
in our
dishwasher accessories section.
Prior to making the repair, be sure to clean
up the rusted spots on the dishwasher rack
with household sandpaper to make the repair
last much longer. If the rust spots are
on the cross-members of the racks, you can
use a paint-on
coating
(only sold in light blue).
Clean your dishwasher filter. On many basic
and/or European dishwashers, there's a filter
near the bottom, or under the lower spray
arm, that needs cleaning regularly. If you
have this sort of filter, consult your owner's
manual for how to remove and clean it. If
the filter is damaged, replace it to protect
the dishwasher's pump and motor seals. Use the
PartDetective
to find the right replacement filter for your unit.
Clean your dishwasher spray arms. Over time,
small holes in the spray arm(s) of your
dishwasher may become clogged with bits
of paper, toothpicks, glass, etc. Take a
moment to clean out these holes to ensure
you're getting the best cleaning ability
from your dishwasher. If you find glass
in the spray arm, there are probably glass
pieces in the pump housing as well. You
may want to disassemble the pump to check
and clean it. Also, the glass may have damaged
the motor spin seal. If this has happened,
you will often see a water leak at the main
pump motor. Replace the motor spin seal
if necessary. You can find motor spin seals
for your model dishwasher using our
PartDetective.
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Range/stove/oven and dishwasher accessories:
You'll find everything you
need to properly maintain your range/stove/oven
and dishwasher in our accessories section:
Range/stove/oven
Dishwasher
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Appliance maintenance
calendar:
We've put together a maintenance calendar
to help you break down what needs to be done
and when. Add the page to your favorites,
or print it out and keep it for reference
throughout the year. You can find the appliance
maintenance calendar here.
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What's new at RepairClinic.com:
Recall
information page
Concerned one of your appliances has been
recalled? Take a look at our new recall
information page. You'll find recall information
from the Consumer Product Safety Commission
for all recalls of major household appliance
for the last 15 years. |
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a Friend" form
before Mar. 18, 2002. We'll randomly draw
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list of rules, click here. |
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Appliance fun fact:
More than 46 million appliances
- including old stoves, refrigerators, washers
and dryers - were recycled in 1997. |
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Visit our "Special
of the Week" page. |
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